Vsetín will announce an architectural competition again for the design of the square

Vsetín - Without determining a winner, the Vsetín council completed the architectural-urban planning competition for the design of the new appearance of Freedom Square and adjacent streets at their meeting today. Only two proposals were delivered by the deadline, neither of which was recommended by the expert committee to proceed to the second, final round. Therefore, the city will announce a new competition, the city hall spokesperson Eva Stejskalová informed CTK today.
    "The fact that only two studios participated in this competition is a great disappointment for us. We expected not only greater participation from studios but also completely new ideas and perspectives on solving the space," commented Vsetín mayor Květoslava Othová on the competition results.
    According to Stejskalová, the expert jury evaluated both proposals in detail and from all angles. "We deliberated for a very long time. In the end, however, we agreed that none of the proposals would advance to the second round. This means that no award will be given," stated Vsetín deputy mayor Jaromír Kudlík, who, along with five other architects, was a member of the expert jury. The competition was funded with awards totaling 250,000 crowns, and the winner would also receive a contract to develop the project documentation.
    However, the Vsetín council is not giving up on the competition regarding the square and will announce a new one at the council meeting in June. "It should be a two-round competition again, with the first round requiring a simple conceptual design, which would be elaborated in detail only in the second round. The expert committee also recommends inviting selected renowned studios," noted the head of the investment department, Josef Šťastný.
    Vsetín announced the competition in February. "Its aim was to mitigate and remedy the impacts of the very insensitive pre-November construction on the character of the city center and thus contribute to creating a pleasant and functional space," Stejskalová stated.
    She added that the proposals were to include not only the overall concept and layout but also, for example, the placement of parking spaces, urban furniture, and public lighting or modifications, possibly the addition of public greenery. This was to be done while preserving the Memorial of Liberation and the tomb of the unknown soldier crafted by Vsetín artist Rudolf Hlavica.